McNair Credit - www.spacefacts.de

Personal: Male, Married, Two children. Born in Lake City, South Carolina, USA. Challenger explosion. PhD

Astronaut Career

Astronaut Group: NASA Group 8 - 1978. Deceased Entered space service: 16 January 1978. Left space service: 1986. Number of Flights: 2.00. Total Time: 7.97 days.

The first American black astronaut to fly in space, willing to poke fun at NASA in the days before political correctness. At the party thrown by TFNG astronauts at the end of their first summer of training, McNair took part in a skit with Judy Resnik and an unnamed white astronaut. Putting their respective arms and face through a white backdrop with an astronaut jumpsuit attached, they portrayed NASA's ideal astronaut candidate - part black, part white, part woman. Official NASA Biography:

Ronald E. McNair was born on October 21, 1950 in Lake City, South Carolina. McNair was the son of Carl C. McNair, Sr., and Pearl M. McNair. He achieved early success in the segregated public schools he attended as both a student and an athlete. Valedictorian of his high school class, he attended North Carolina A&T State University where in 1971 he received a B.S. degree in physics. He went on to study physics at MIT, where he specialized in quantum electronics and laser technology, completing his Ph.D. in 1977. As a student he performed some of the earliest work on chemical HF/DF and high pressure CO lasers, publishing pathbreaking scientific papers on the subject.

McNair was also a physical fitness advocate and pursued athletic training from an early age. He was a leader in track and football at his high school. He also became a black belt in Karate, and while in graduate school began offering classes at St. Paul's AME Church in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He also participated in several Karate tournaments, taking more than 30 trophies in these competitions. While involved in these activities McNair met and married Cheryl B. Moore of Brooklyn, New York, and they later had two children. After completing his Ph.D. he began working as a physicist at the Optical Physics Department of Hughes Research Laboratories in Malibu, California, and conducted research on electro-optic laser modulation for satellite-to-satellite space communications.

STS-41-B Astronauts McNair and Stewart prepare for re-entry... Credit- NASA

This research led McNair into close contact with the space program for the first time, and when the opportunity presented itself he applied for astronaut training. In January 1978 NASA selected him to enter the astronaut cadre, one of the first three Black Americans selected. McNair became the second Black American in space between Febrary 3 and 11, 1984, by flying on the Challenger Shuttle mission STS-41-B. During this mission McNair operated the maneuverable arm built by Canada used to move payloads in space. The 1986 mission on which he was killed was his second Shuttle flight.

• 3 February 1984 Flight: STS-41-B. Flight Up: STS-41-B. Flight Back: STS-41-B. Flight Time: 7.97 days.

• 28 January 1986 Flight: STS-51-L. Flight Up: STS-51-L. Flight Back: STS-51-L. Flight Time: 0.0008 days.

16 January 1978 - NASA Astronaut Training Group 8 selected.. The group was selected to provide pilot, engineer, and scientist astronauts for space shuttle flights. Recruit women and minorities to introduce diversity into the astronaut corps. Qualifications: Pilots: Bachelor's degree in engineering, biological science, physical science or mathematics. Advanced degree desirable. At least 1,000 flight-hours of pilot-in-command time. Flight test experience desirable. Excellent health. Vision minimum 20/50 uncorrected, correctable to 20/20 vision; maximum sitting blood pressure 140/90. Height between 163 and 193 cm.

Mission Specialists: Bachelor's degree in engineering, biological science, physical science or mathematics and minimum three years of related experience or an advanced degree. Vision minimum 20/150 uncorrected, correctable to 20/20. Maximum sitting blood pressure of 140/90. Height between 150 and 193 cm.. 8,079 applicants, of which half met the basic qualifications. 208 invited for physical tests and interviews. Of the 35 selected, six were women, three were male African-Americans, and one was a male Asian-American.